The Ash Tree. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1975.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 37 minutes.
Summary: Dead or distressed animals.
Details:
1) A cow lies panting in a field, seemingly close to death, 3:51-4:03.
2) A dead pheasant lies in a field, 6:06-6:09.
The Ash-Tree. David Bell, 1986.
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Edition screened: From the series Classic Ghost Stories of M.R. James and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 15 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Couples Retreat. Peter Billingsley, 2009.
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Edition screened: Watched online, to the imperilment of an otherwise lovely vacation. English language. Runtime approximately 113 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Unspeakably juvenile and horrible. Not just couples, but everyone should retreat.
Cowards Bend the Knee. Guy Maddin, 2004.
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Edition screened: Zeitgeist DVD, released 2005. Scored and with English intertitles, no dialogue track. Runtime approximately 65 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Diary of Mr. Poynter. Marilyn Fox, 1980.
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Edition screened: From the series Spine Chillers and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 11 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Ghost Stories for Christmas. Various directors, 1968-2006.
😸 . . .
Edition screened: BFI DVD box set, released 2013. English language. Runtime of feature titles approximately 830 minutes.
Summary: The 1975 version of The Ash Tree includes a few images of dead animals. The box set otherwise is free of depictions of dead or mistreated animals.
This 6-DVD set from BFI is grounded in the writings of M.R. James. It includes a standard assortment of introductions and commentaries, along with short films from several BBC series:
The entire series A Ghost Story for Christmas:
The entire series Classic Ghost Stories:
From the series Spine Chillers:
From the series Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee:
The Ice House. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1978.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 34 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Lost Hearts. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1973.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 35 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Mezzotint. David Bell, 1986.
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Edition screened: From the series Classic Ghost Stories of M.R. James and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 14 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Mezzotint. Marilyn Fox, 1980.
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Edition screened: From the series Spine Chillers and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 11 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Number 13. Pier Wilkie, 2006.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 40 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Number 13. Eleanor Yule, 2000.
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Edition screened: From the series Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 30 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad. David Bell, 1986.
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Edition screened: From the series Classic Ghost Stories of M.R. James and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 14 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Old. M. Night Shyamalan, 2021.
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Edition screened: Viewed online. English language. Runtime approximately 108 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A mystery drama pivoting on human subjects who come to understand that they are the subjects of involuntary scientific experimentation leading to their torturous deaths. As such, it also is and must be a commentary on animal experimentation, made obvious by a post-revelation laboratory scene in which a scientist professes “But think of the lives we’ve saved.”
One-Armed Boxer (Du bei chuan wang). Jimmy Yu Wang, 1972.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2022. Mandarin language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Platinum Pussycat. Edward Montoro and James Somich, 1968.
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Edition screened: Included with The Sexploiters on Retro-Cinema “Double Feature” DVD, released 2011. English language. Runtime approximately 72 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A badly-made crime thriller featuring:
• one beautiful woman
• one irrelevant and awkwardly inserted sexually explicit scene that absolutely does not include the beautiful woman.
It is somewhat interesting to see areas of Cleveland not commonly used as filming locations, including a long final foot chase through The Flats.
Private Property. Leslie Stevens, 1960.
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Edition screened: Cinelicious Blu-ray, released 2016. English language. Runtime approximately 80 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A Quiet Place Part II. John Krasinski, 2020.
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Edition screened: Watched online. English language. Runtime approximately 98 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Rose Garden. David Bell, 1986.
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Edition screened: From the series Classic Ghost Stories of M.R. James and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 14 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A School Story. Marilyn Fox, 1980.
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Edition screened: From the series Spine Chillers and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 11 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Sexploiters. Al Ruban, 1965.
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Edition screened: Included with The Platinum Pussycat on Retro-Cinema “Double Feature” DVD, released 2011. English language. Runtime approximately 62 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Signalman. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1976.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 39 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
An excellent drama based on a story by Charles Dickens.
The Stalls of Barchester. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1971.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 45 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Stalls of Barchester. Eleanor Yule, 2000.
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Edition screened: From the series Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 23 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Stigma. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1977.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 32 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Treasure of Abbot Thomas. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1974.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 37 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A View from a Hill. Luke Watson, 2005.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 39 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A Warning to the Curious. Eleanor Yule, 2000.
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Edition screened: From the series Ghost Stories for Christmas with Christopher Lee and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 30 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A Warning to the Curious. Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1972.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 50 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Whistle and I’ll Come to You. Jonathan Miller, 1968.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 42 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
An excellent production in every way, and truly scary in the designed moments.
Whistle and I’ll Come to You. Andy de Emmony, 2010.
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Edition screened: Included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 52 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Wailing Well. David Bell, 1986.
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Edition screened: From the series Classic Ghost Stories of M.R. James and included in BFI DVD box set Ghost Stories for Christmas, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 14 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Women in Cellblock 9 (Frauen für Zellenblock 9). Jesús “Jess” Franco, 1978.
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Edition screened: Full Moon DVD, released 2017. English dub. Runtime approximately 75 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals. A gerbil is introduced under tense circumstances, but is regarded gently and not harmed.
The Addams Family. Barry Sonnenfeld, 1991.
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Edition screened: Included with Addams Family Values in Paramount Blu-ray 2-pack, released 2019. English language. Runtime approximately 99 minutes.
Summary: A few one-line jokes about Granny cooking pets, not labored or particularly clear, and no visual content.
Addams Family Values. Barry Sonnenfeld, 1993.
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Edition screened: Included with The Addams Family in Paramount Blu-ray 2-pack, released 2019. English language. Runtime approximately 94 minutes.
Summary: Jokes about killing animals.
Details:
1) Similar to the original film, there are few one-line jokes about Granny hunting for stray dogs and cats.
2) More startling is the opening scene in which the children kneel by a small grave with a cat meowing inside a bag. Wednesday hits the bag with a hammer and places it in the grave. Over quickly and nothing else like it in the film, but a distasteful way to start a movie.
The Atomic Brain (Monstrosity). Joseph Mascelli and Jack Pollexfen, 1963.
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Edition screened: Included on Something Weird Triple Feature: The Atomic Brain/Love After Death/The Incredible Petrified World DVD, released 2003. English language. Runtime approximately 66 minutes.
Summary: Acceptance and discussion of animal experimentation.
Details: The basic plot is the SciFi staple of exchanging attributes between two bodies, this time financed by an elderly woman who wants to recapture the beauty of youth. A preliminary experiment to swap brain content between a woman and a cat is explained, additionally strange because the scientist intends to use his nice long-haired black house cat. Maybe not so odd, as Doc is confident that everyone will come through this ok, just with a different brain.
We see no experimenting or rough handling of cat or woman. From 57:56 through 58:01 we see a completely different, seemingly taxidermy, black cat draped within a piece of Scientific Equipment that appears to be a discarded acrylic case from the costume jewelry department at Macy’s.
We see the woman with cat brain acting like a cat; catching a mouse (no harm to mouse), up on the roof and can’t get down, etc. . . . and the cat behaving with human agility and comprehension, including some impressive knob spinning and button pushing in the lab to save a human subject.
Intriguing as that all sounds, the cat/woman stuff constitutes a comparatively small amount of Monstrosity’s short run time. The film primarily is a watchable, slightly gothic, social melodrama with a separable backstory of mad scientist - actually more of a punctilious scientist - bogged down with the medical community’s favorite dead-end research.
Devičanska Svirka (The Maiden’s Tune). Đorđe Kadijević, 1973.
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Edition screened: Included with Leptirica (Disc 3) in Severin Blu-ray box set All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror, released 2021. Serbian with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 59 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
One short scene includes the sound of overhead birds as we are told about an annual migration. We also see a man shooting into the sky, with no visible target or results.
Fade to Black. Vernon Zimmerman, 1980.
😸
Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #338, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 102 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Feast of Flesh (Placer Sangriento). Emilio Vieyra, 1967.
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Edition screened: Included with Night of the Bloody Apes on Something Weird “Orgy of Terror” Double Feature DVD, released 2002. English dub. Runtime approximately 70 minutes.
Summary: No animals in the film.
The Incredible Petrified World. Jerry Warren, 1960.
😿😿
Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD Triple Feature: The Atomic Brain/Love After Death/The Incredible Petrified World, released 2003. English language. Runtime approximately 67 minutes.
Summary: The expository introduction includes a long scene of a shark attacking and killing a large squid.
Inferno of Torture (Tokugawa irezumi-shi: Seme jigoku). Teruo Ishii, 1969.
😿😿😿
Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2020. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 90 minutes.
Summary: Animals at wet market.
Details: Two women fleeing cruel enslavement, one of them recently blinded, are pursued through a market that includes live and dead animals for sale as meat. This scene does not show animals being killed, but several times we see domestic dogs - very much alive - trussed in ropes and suspended like hands of bananas. Also a display of dead raccoons and house cats suspended by their tales, as well as typical arrays of plucked fowl, a two-second detail of unspecific flesh pierced by a knife, and several other vignettes horrible in their implications. These images are mixed in with other hawkers and aggressive prostitutes at the market.
I recommend skipping 1:01:37 through 1:04:30. Picking up at 1:04:30, the more agile (not blinded) woman has decoyed the thugs away from the blind woman, and the latter leaves the market and enters an adjacent funeral where she makes her escape.
Love After Death (Unsatisfied Love). Glauco Del Mar, 1968.
😸
Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD Triple Feature: The Atomic Brain/Love After Death/The Incredible Petrified World, released 2003. English dub. Runtime approximately 72 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Kenneth Branagh, 1994.
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Edition screened: Arrow UHD, released 2022. English language. Runtime approximately 123 minutes.
Summary: Dogs killed and lab experimentation.
Details:
1) Dogs from the ice-bound ship charge toward the unseen Creature. We see brief images of them grabbed by the throats and thrown to the ground, 5:36-5:49.
2) Lab experiment to reanimate a large frog, 38:28-39:03. The frog is just dead, not cut open.
One Hundred and One Nights (Les cent et une nuits de Simon Cinéma). Agnès Varda, 1995.
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Edition screened: Included in Criterion Blu-ray box set The Complete Films of Agnès Varda (disc 11) released 2020. French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 105 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Criterion Blu-ray include several shorts and commentaries:
• A Fun Moment with Michel Piccoli (2004, approx. 5 minutes). Brief outtakes and behind-the-scenes at One Hundred and One Nights.
• Hands and Objects: On Agnès Varda’s Shorts (2007, approx. 20 minutes).
• Unfinished Varda (1971, approx. 10 minutes combined). Surviving short scenes from the early uncompleted films La Melangite and Christmas Carole.
• Two television commercials made by Varda: a hip solicitation to become a Tupperware party hostess, and a stylish ad for panty hose made in a style similar to One Hundred and One Nights.
